Budget 2015

Budget Confirms $30 Billion in School Cuts Will Go Ahead

Tony Abbott and Joe Hockey have used the second Budget to lock in $30 billion of cuts to schools.

The Abbott Government’s refusal to properly fund our schools into the future shows just how short-sighted this Budget really is.

By not funding the vital Gonski reforms, Christopher Pyne and Tony Abbott have locked in mediocrity, inequality, and an uncertain future for our children.

It’s the schools and students needing the most assistance who will be the hardest hit.

It makes a mockery of Tony Abbott’s promise that he was on a ‘unity ticket’ with Labor on our Gonski school reforms.

Labor’s Gonski reforms handed the Government a roadmap to a better education system and a stronger economy, but they have simply tossed it aside.

This is a Government that doesn’t treat education as a priority, and as a result they have no vision for the future, only a short-sighted strategy to get them to the next election.

These cuts will impact every classroom in every school across Australia – Government, Catholic and Independent. Over the last year the Government has ignored the states, teachers, parents, schools, students and education experts who have all united against these harsh cuts.

Fees will rise, schools could close and students will be worse off.

In contrast to the Government’s unfair Budget, Labor remains committed to a needs-based funding system which ensures every student in every school gets the support they need to achieve their best.

This Budget has failed the future test and it has failed the fairness test.

The fundamental unfairness of last year’s Budget disaster remains – all but two measures from last year’s Budget remain in this Budget, including this disgraceful cut to schools.